Every Galaxy S9 and S9+ Case We Could Find

We’re sure you’ll find a case you absolutely love!

It’s your choice whether to get a case for your Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+. Some people hate to cover up the sleek design of a brand new phone with a hunk of ugly plastic — we get that.

But there are so many cool cases out there that can be as thin as paper, clear as a window, or rugged and designed to survive the harshest conditions. Plus, you can show off your sports allegiances or personality with a funky design.

Before you decide against a case, we want to make sure you know you’ve got options — like a lot of options. Here’s every case for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ that we could find!

Thin Cases

Spigen Thin Fit

A thin polycarbonate back plate with a little cushion in the corners to help prevent damage if you drop your phone.

Get yours for just $12.

• See for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• See for Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Spigen Air Thin

Spigen says this case features “unbeatable thinness to maintain the feel of the original phone”… so if that Thin Fit case is still too bulky, they have you covered.

Also available for just $12.

• See for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• See for Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Skinit Lite case

Get a thin case that also shows off your favorite sports team, comic book character, or one of hundreds of different styles — all for just $30.

Skinit has partnered with a ton of popular brands to offer a fantastic selection of designs. Or, customize and create your own for just $35.

• See Skinit Lite designs for Galaxy S9 at Skinit.com
• See Skinit Lite designes for Galaxy S9+ at Skinit.com

Peel Super Thin

Another case that’s barely there, this Super Thin case from Peel is designed to keep the original look of your phone while still protecting it from scratches and drops.

Get yours for $25.

• See Peel Super Thin for Galaxy S9 on Peel
• See Peel Super Thin for Galaxy S9+ on Peel

Clear Cases

Lifeproof Slam

This is Lifeproof’s clear case option, so you know it’s going to be top-quality. If you want serious drop protection from a clear case, look no further.

Available in three color options for $50.

• See Lifeproof Slam case for Galaxy S9 on Lifeproof
• See Lifeproof Slam case for Galaxy S9+ on Lifeproof

Speck Presidio CLEAR

This is one of the thinnest clear cases you’ll find that still offers top-notch protection for your phone. This case is also designed to resist turning yellow when exposed to UV light.

Get yours for $40 for the Galaxy S9 and $45 for the Plus.

– See Speck Presidio CLEAR for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
– See Speck Presidio CLEAR for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Presidio CLEAR + Glitter

Same as the Speck Presidio CLEAR, except with glitter crystals embedded in the case add sparkle that won’t flake off. Add a bit of flair to your clear case from Speck.

Priced between $30 and $50 depending on the color you want.

• See Speck Presidio CLEAR + Glitter for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Speck Presidio CLEAR + Glitter for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Casetify Impact

Looking for a clear case with a bit of personality? Casetify has a huge selection of clear cases with funky and fun prints on them — we’re talking nearly 100 different styles to choose from.

Pick the perfect case for yourself for just $50.

• See Casetify Impact cases for Galaxy S9 on Casetify
• See Casetify Impact cases for Galaxy S9+ on Casetify

Rugged Cases

Samsung Hyperknit Cover

The Galaxy S9 and its Hyperknit case are a match made in heaven. Made of woven nylon, this case looks brilliant in red with a nice, soft finish.

Get yours for just $35.

• See Samsung Hyperknit cover for Galaxy S9 on Samsung
• See Samsung Hyperknit cover for Galaxy S9+ on Samsung

Otterbox Commuter Series

When you think “rugged cases”, chances are you think Otterbox. The Commuter Series offers great protection while maintaining a slimmer profile.

Available at $40 for both models.

• See Otterbox Commuter Series for Galaxy S9 at Otterbox
• See Otterbox Commuter Series for Galaxy S9+ at Otterbox

Otterbox Star Wars case

Otterbox is set to release some officially licensed Star Wars cases to celebrate Solo: A Star Wars Story. It’s just a shame that the Millenium Falcon and Chewbacca cases are iPhone exclusives…

Get yours for either the Galaxy S9 ($44.95) and Galaxy S9+ ($54.95).

• See Otterbox Star Wars case for Galaxy S9 at Otterbox
• See Otterbox Star Wars case for Galaxy S9+ at Otterbox

Spigen Tough Armor

This dual-layer case offers really good protection for your phone with a built-in kickstand. Despite its rugged nature, it’s still compatible with wireless charging.

Available in six color styles and starting as low as $16.

• See Spigen Tough Armor for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Spigen Tough Armor for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series case

The Unicorn Beetle case is one of those phone cases that people buy with every new device. It’s got that classic rugged design with ridges to help with grip and it includes a built-in screen protector to keep your S9 in pristine condition.

Rugged enough to keep your phone protected and yet thin enough to work with wireless charging, get your Unicorn Beetle Series case for about $15.

• See SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Caseology Legion Series case

This dual-layer case combines a shock absorbing inner sleeve of TPU with a durable outer shell that’s also significantly gripper than the glass body of the Galaxy S9.

This case is available in your choice of five colors for just $15.

• See Caseology Legion Series case for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Caseology Legion Series case for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Speck Presidio ULTRA

This is a straight up rugged case, which Speck says offers four layers of protection against drops up to 15 feet. It’s also a slightly slimmer than other rugged cases so if you don’t like a bulky case, this is for you!

Get yours for $45 for the Galaxy S9 and $55 for the Galaxy S9+ case.

• See Speck Presidio ULTRA for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Speck Presidio ULTRA for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

SPECK Presidio SPORT

This case is designed to deal with your gross sweat when you’re working out. If you’re a gym rat or bring your phone along on runs, you’ll appreciate the Microban® anti-microbial technology that helps keep the bacteria from building up. It’s also colorful and rugged.

Get yours for $45 for the Galaxy S9 or $50 for the Plus.

• See Speck Presidio SPORT for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Speck Presidio SPORT for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Lifeproof FRE case

When you buy a Lifeproof case, you’re buying a case designed to protect your phone from drop damage, water damage, dirt, and snow — allowing you to take your phone on all your adventures without constantly worrying about it getting busted.

Expected to start shipping by the end of April, you can pre-order yours for $90.

• See Lifeproof FRE case for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• See Lifeproof FRE case for Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Leather Cases

Case Mate Wallet Folio Case

This folio case holds your phone in place while the front flap keeps your display protected when closed.

Case Mate backs their products with a lifetime warranty and you can get your case for either the Galaxy S9 or S9+ for $60.

• See for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• See for Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Otterbox Strata Folio case

Looking for a leather case that won’t let you down? Check out the Otterbox Strata Folio case which combines the rugged protection you expect from Otterbox with the stylish look and feel of a leather wallet case.

Available in black or brown for just $50.

• See Otterbox Strata Folio Case for Galaxy S9 at Otterbox
• See Otterbox Strata Folio Case for Galaxy S9+ at Otterbox

Design Skin Folio Wallet Case

Check out these wallet cases from Design Skin that are available in 9 different styles that just might have you buying more than one. Each case has three card slots on the inside along with a side pocket for storing cash or receipts, and every case is handcrafted with soft genuine leather that you will absolutely love.

These cases are priced between $40 and $50 depending on the style you want and also available for the

• See Design Skin for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• See Design Skin for Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Tech21 Evo Luxe Vegan Leather Case

This stylish case with a sleek one-piece design gives you that leather touch on the back without the sometimes cumbersome folio front cover of other leather cases. It’s thin enough to not impede wireless charging and is made with premium vegan leather.

Get yours for just $55.

• See Tech21 Evo Luxe for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• Galaxy S9+

Poetic Nubuck Credit Card Slot Case

This unique looking case combines a sturdy TPU shell with perforated PU leather around the bottom half of the case, which holds the card slot that can store up to two cards at a time.

This is also one of the more affordable cases on this list at just $13, so if you’re after a unique leather case for your Galaxy S9 or, this is the case for you!

• See Poetic Nubuck case for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Poetic Nubuck case for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Wallet cases

Samsung LED Wallet cover

This proprietary wallet case from Samsung is cool AF. LEDs on the front cover let you see the time without exposing your screen, and you’re able to respond to calls or alarms by swiping the front cover. Store your cards on the interior pocket.

Get yours for $65 direct from Samsung.

• See Samsung LED Wallet cover for Galaxy S9 on Samsung
• See Samsung LED Wallet cover for Galaxy S9+ on Samsung

Presidio Folio case

Combine the protection you’ve come to expect from Speck cases with the functionality of a folio wallet case.

Get yours for just $45.

• See Speck Presidio Folio case for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Speck Presidio Folio case for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

LK wallet case w/ wrist strap

The leather might be fake, but the value is incredible. Keep your phone safe and functional with a wallet case from LK available in black, purple, or rose gold.

Get yours for just $13.

• See LK wallet case for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See LK wallet case for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Other types of cases

Samsung S-View Cover

Samsung’s popular folio case with a clear cover that lets you answer calls without exposing your screen. Fold it over to create a kickstand for easy media viewing

Available direct from Samsung for $60.

• See Samsung S-View Cover for Galaxy S9 on Samsung
• See Samsung S-View Cover for Galaxy S9+ on Samsung

RhinoShield CrashGuard bumper

An incredibly well-designed bumper case that’s rugged and shock absorbing in the corners and along phone’s edges — exactly where you need it most. It’s quick and easy to install and lets you still fully show off the design of your phone.

You can get this minimalist case solution for just $25.

• See RhinoShield CrashGuard for Galaxy S9 at Amazon
• See RhinoShield CrashGuard for Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Speck Presidio GRIP

The best way to prevent your phone from drop damage is to not drop it. This case from Speck features a non-slip pattern of raised ridges on the back that’s both stylish and functional.

Available for between $35 and $45 depending on the color you want.

• See Speck Presidio GRIP for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Speck Presidio GRIP for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Casetify Glitter case

Sparkly. So very sparkly. The back of these cases have glitter floating in a liquid that’s all just for decoration. Also available with prints

For a case that will absolutely stand out from the crowd, get yours for just $45.

• See Casetify Glitter case for Galaxy S9 on Casetify
• See Casetify Glitter case for Galaxy S9+ on Casetify

Spigen Thin Fit 360

This one is a little different than your standard cases in that it comes in four pieces — including a tempered glass screen protector — and offers 360-degree protection for your phone without adding bulk to your phone. All parts are form-fitted for your phone and it’s designed to work with wirelss charging.

For a slim case with a built-in screen protector, get this case from Spigen for just $18.

• See Spigen Thin Fit 360 for Galaxy S9 on Amazon
• See Spigen Thin Fit 360 for Galaxy S9+ on Amazon

Which cases stand out to you?

Got a favorite that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Scientists grow human brain tissue in mice

Brain “organoids” made from stem cells are a promising way to study the brain, but the longest they’ve survived in a petri dish is just five weeks. Researchers from the Salk Institute recently implanted a bean-sized brain organoid into a mouse, and covered it with a transparent window. The material was able to get a blood supply from the mouse and survived for up to 233 days, displaying the same properties and growth as if it were in a newborn. It’s a big advance for organoids and could help scientists study and treat mental illness and brain injuries.

The Salk team figured they could keep the cells alive for a longer period if they could just get a consistent blood supply to them. So, they removed a small amount of mouse brain tissue and grafted the organoids into a blood-vessel-rich part of the mouse brain. For the first time ever, vessels formed with blood flowing through them, and the organoid developed new neurons and neuronal support cells called astrocytes.

Amazingly, the grafted neurons formed connections to themselves and the host organ, another first, and fired together in a synchronized way. “This indicates that the increased blood supply not only helped the organoid to stay healthy longer, but also enabled it to achieve a level of neurological complexity that will help us better understand brain disease,” said Salk researcher Abed AlFattah Mansour.

So, did the human brain tissue make the mice any smarter or self-aware? No, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it). After a day, the human brain-implanted mice made fewer mistakes in a maze, but just a day later, they performed the same as normal mice.

The purpose, in any case, was not to make smarter mice, but advance organoid research so that it could be used to treat humans. Scientists believe that by successfully growing them in lab animals, they can better understand how the human brain develops — both normally and when illnesses occur. “This work brings us one step closer to a more faithful, functional representation of the human brain and could help us design better therapies for neurological and psychiatric diseases,” said senior author Rusty Gage.

Via: Stat News

Source: Nature

Samsung is making six TV series just for VR

With all the immersive games, films and documentaries available, there are plenty of interesting VR experiences for your headset. Samsung wants to make sure you’ll never run out, announcing today its “Pilot Season.” It’s a “new initiative aimed at infusing exclusive original episodic Virtual Reality content into the Samsung VR Video service,” according to the company. Starting today, you’ll be able to watch pilot episodes of six new series on the Gear VR, and who knows, you may find your new favorite binge there.

The six shows are varied in topic and format — &Design is a docu-series that studies how design intersects with different aspects of life. There’s also cartoon comedy Bro Bots, set in a Futurama-esque world, about two British police robots in the NYPD, as well as The Interpretation of Dreams, which reimagines Sigmund Freud’s original case studies.

Having checked out all the pilots at a recent Tribeca Film Festival-related event in New York, I’m most intrigued by &Design — its subject matter alone is fascinating (the first episode studies death and design), but it’s also told in a compelling manner. I’d watch it as a regular TV show, although the show’s makers do make good use of the VR format and space to bring details close to your eyes.

Samsung isn’t simply curating and distributing these shows on its video portal — it also funds them. Pilot Season gives grants to “a select set of indie filmmakers” to create original, exclusive content, and also offers them the opportunity to use Samsung’s professional 360-degree camera the 360 Round.

Not all the shows are photo-realistic, though. Bro Bots, Lightcatcher and Voyages are animations, for example. To give you a better idea of what to expect, here’s a list of the six series, as described by Samsung:

• &Design (Sibling Rivalry and Curious Octopus)
  An original episodic series about design that will change the way we look at the world. The series presents design in its intersection with science, technology and anthropology, weaving an array of items that link each episode by a universally humanistic theme. With renowned and charismatic design curator Paola Antonelli as our guide, the series will take audiences on a captivating, fun, and often surprising journey around the globe to reveal the stories of different projects and the Artists behind them. From designed objects we rely on but rarely think about, to bizarre inventions, to artifacts from other cultures, “&Design” will invite us to see the world in a new way.
• Bro Bots (Breaking Fourth)
  A scripted sci-fi comedy series in VR, set in a New York City of the future. In the not-so-distant future… robots are everywhere. They talk like us. They walk like us. And they have really big personalities. Two British robots – Otis and Roberto – arrive in New York and join the NYPD. Otis acts like a Downton Abbey butler. Roberto is rough and tough, from the other side of the tracks. They are best friends. Bro Bots is an irreverent, quirky, VR buddy-comedy series.
• The Interpretation of Dreams (Graham Sack & Sensorium)
  In 1899, Sigmund Freud published his magnum opus, The Interpretation of Dreams, which shocked the world and forever changed our understanding of dreams and the unconscious mind. This episodic narrative fiction series reimagines each of Freud’s original case studies — “the Ratman”, “Dora”, “Anna O”, “Irma’s Injection” — as visually luxurious, psychologically complex, and emotionally haunting immersive VR dreamscapes. Each episode unfolds as a mystery to be solved. A patient arrives afflicted by a mysterious symptom — insomnia, recurring nightmares, the inability to speak or swallow. In search of a cure, the viewer enters their dreams, which are populated by symbolic objects and characters with hidden meanings. Federico Fellini famously called film “a dream we dream with our eyes open.” VR provides a vast new vocabulary for the exploration and visualization of the unconscious, from the construction of surreal landscapes to the distortion of time, space, perception, and physical law. Written and Directed by Graham Sack. Technical Direction by Sensorium. Original Composition by Tim Fain.
• Lightcatcher (Occupied VR, RSA VR)
  The Earth is evolving and digesting our human footprint. Now humanity has a choice—stay or leave. Lightcatcher is an odyssey that revolves around earth and its people in the year 2150. Get lost with five adventurers as they travel through unique environments—enduring hardships and triumphs in the new world. Explore subterranean caves, soar in zero-gravity and grapple sky high canyon walls. Lightcatcher is a young adult adventure saga that brings you on a journey combining elements of adventure, romance and sci-fi. The series is designed as a virtual reality franchise that will captivate a new generation of fans.
• Sam’s Surreal Gems (RSA VR, Hey Wonderful)
  Set in a collection of real world locations, this fresh, funny and irreverent VR series directed by Sam Cadman challenges its viewers to spot eight surreal and unexpected Easter eggs hidden within each episode. Sam’s Surreal Gems is the antithesis of overly familiar futuristic and fantastical VR, rather, this series will celebrate the truly entertaining and wonderfully funny possibilities within the real world already around us. Each set of surreal gems will have been carefully rehearsed and seamlessly choreographed so as to happen in a single uninterrupted take lasting no more than 2-3 minutes. These gems will be arranged so that they build in spectacle and scale, as well as darting around all 360 degrees of the VR space. The same troupe of actors will appear in each location/episode – playing their characters with a natural and understated ease.
• Voyages – Pilot (Kaleidoscope)
  A virtual reality animation that takes you on an epic journey from birth to death. Comprised of six distinct movements, Voyages – Pilot guides you through the emotional arc of an entire life. Experience what it feels like to be born, to grow up, to grow old, and to eventually die. The pilot features original music from Amon Tobin, Little Dragon, Jonny Greenwood, Elliot Cole and Roomful of Teeth.

If you have a Samsung Gear VR headset, you can go to the Oculus store and look for the Samsung VR Video service to find Pilot Season in the “Featured” section.

Click here to read all the news from Tribeca Film Festival 2018!

Huawei P20 Pro review: The best phone you’ll never buy

For the past few months, Huawei has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons — the US government warned against buying the company’s phones, which led to the breakdown of near-final deals with AT&T and Verizon. Then Best Buy, one of its few US retail partners, backed away too. We’re not sure if the concerns hold any weight, but one thing is clear: It sucks to be Huawei right now.

And in the midst of that turmoil, Huawei revealed its new P20 Pro, a remarkably well-built device with a triple camera system and loads of style. I doubt that would ever win over a Sinophobic bureaucrat though, so there’s a strong chance no one in the US will ever be able to walk into a store and buy one. That’s a shame because after using it as my daily driver for a while, I’m convinced it’s one of Huawei’s all-time best, and one of the year’s great Android phones.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Hardware

Huawei’s build-quality has been top notch for some time now — just look at last year’s P10 and the more recent Mate 10s. I’d argue style is just as important as overall build, though, and in that respect, the P20 Pro sits in a league of its own. No phone we’ve tested this year has turned as many heads on the streets of New York City. And that’s all because of the fantastic Twilight finish. (There are also black, blue and pink gold models if those are more your speed.) You can’t exactly call it subtle, but the glossy blue and purple gradient is unlike anything else you’ll find on a smartphone, and I don’t know that I can give it up.

That said, I’ve been using the P20 Pro for a few weeks and its body has started to pick up some pretty gnarly nicks. That’s true of me and any phone with a mostly glass body, but what can I do? There’s no phone that deserves to be obscured in a case less than this one.

The P20 Pro’s back might grab all the attention, but there’s a lot going on up front, too. Huawei went with a 6.1-inch OLED screen that runs at 2240×1080 — for those of you keeping track, that’s a 18.7:9 aspect ratio, which means the screen is a little more than twice as tall as it is wide. 18:9 screens are much more common, but the company’s decision here has ensured two things. First, the phone never feels unwieldy or uncomfortable. And more important, that slice of extra space up top offers some flexibility when it comes to the notch.

Yeah, yeah, the notch. Going off everything we’ve seen so far, it seems safe to call 2018 the year of the notched smartphone screen. The cutout here provides space for the earpiece and the 24-megapixel front camera, and after those first few moments, the notch is easily overlooked. If you hate them on principle, though, there’s an option to obscure the notch entirely with a black bar — since that leaves us with a standard 18:9 display, you’ll still get to see everything you need to on-screen.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Otherwise, the display doesn’t leave us with much else to talk about. Colors were vivid and punchy, and despite being spoiled by 2K screens, I have few complaints. I do wish the screen was a bit brighter, though: It’s finally starting to get nice in New York City, and the screen is sometimes tough to see in broad daylight.

A few more things worth pointing out: The P20 Pro is rated IP67 for water- and dust-resistance, and it survived a couple runs through the rain with no trouble. There’s also no headphone jack, and while that’s not as big as a deal as it was last year, it still stings. The pack-in earbuds are nicer than I expected, but the real surprise was the P20 Pro’s main speaker — it can sound a little hollow, but it’s among the loudest on a smartphone.

Huawei’s Leica triple camera feels like a game-changer.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

The cameras

As handsome as the phone is, the P20’s design isn’t the star here — it’s the insane Leica triple-camera system. At first, the idea of combining a 40-megapixel RGB camera, a 20-megapixel monochrome camera and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera seemed like overkill. Ultimately, the way these three come together is seriously special. Note the word “special,” not “perfect”. There are some shortcomings here, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I had this much fun shooting photos with a smartphone.

While the “Pro” moniker might suggest otherwise, you don’t need to know your ISOs from your apertures to start capturing great images. (But there is a Pro mode with all usual fine-grained settings.) In general, the P20 Pro takes fantastic, detailed photos with great dynamic range even if you leave everything on Auto — the f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization on that main 40MP camera do a phenomenal job of sucking up light and keeping things crisp. Color accuracy is good too, even in lower light, thanks to the color-temperature sensor baked into the flash module. Note that while you have the option of shooting at that full, 40MP resolution, you’re probably better off avoiding it because the sensor’s very small pixels can’t capture as much light. By default, that 40MP camera shoots at 10MP, and that’s where the best results occur because the camera is pixel binning, or treating four pixels as one in the final photo.

The thing about the P20’s camera is that you don’t have to shoot alone — you have an assistant called Master AI. Think of it as an artificially intelligent Auto mode: The company trained the Pro to identify different scenarios and adjust the camera’s settings accordingly. After all, a photo of a sunset shouldn’t be treated the same way as a portrait or an urban landscape.

The camera’s great at recognizing faces, but sometimes struggles with other objects.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

The Master AI is on by default and it’s impossible to miss. Let’s say you’re getting ready to shoot the New York City skyline. Once everything is lined up just right, a bubble might pop up indicating that the camera sees blue skies — it’ll fire up the right preset and you’ll suddenly see the buildings take on more contrast and the sky turn a more vibrant shade of blue. If you’re just milling around with friends, on the other hand, pointing the camera at someone’s face fires up Portrait mode. It’s a lot like LG’s approach to camera modes in the V30S ThinQ, except Huawei’s version works much faster.

More often than not, I appreciated the help Huawei’s camera AI gave me — it tended to paint the world around me in a more generous light. The Master AI’s persistence raises an interesting question about the value of cameras, though: Should it just shoot what it sees or should it try to improve on objective reality? Just about every AI-chosen camera mode results in a photo of a flower or a sky or a plate of food that looks a little better than the real thing. For people constantly trying to show off the best versions of their lives, the P20 Pro is an incredible tool. Purists who’d rather see things just as they are, however, will be glad to know that the AI can be disabled. (By the way, Huawei, it would’ve been nice to be able to toggle it right from the viewfinder screen.)

Chris Velazco/Engadget

And just to be clear, the Master AI doesn’t get everything right. In fact, sometimes it felt like a liability. I’ve taken my fair share of shots in bars and at the local Engadget karaoke dive, and the camera often defaulted to portrait mode when I pointed it at someone, even when there wasn’t enough light. In those cases, I would’ve prefered the AI just keep to itself completely. Because it didn’t, those accidental portraits came out soft and unsatisfying. The camera AI also offers different presets for “flowers” and “greenery” but often has a really hard time telling the two apart. Ultimately, the biggest drawback to this AI integration is its lack of consistency — even so, it works well enough that I keep it on anyway.

The P20 Pro might also be the best smartphone camera I’ve ever used in the dark, and not just because of its large sensors. Huawei developed a Night mode that’s pretty spectacular. Rather than just take a standard long exposure, the P20 Pro takes multiple exposures over the course of four seconds and combines the best bits of each shot into a single photo. It’s essentially HDR tuned specifically for nighttime use.

If you try to use it in areas with some ambient light, the results don’t differ too much from regular Auto mode photos. When things get really dark, though, the results were impressive: They were mostly noise-free, surprisingly bright, and packed with much more detail than I expected. It’s not always perfect, though — if you’re snapping a landscape that has people milling around in it, expect some blur.

We’re still not done. Those three cameras can also come together for what Huawei calls “hybrid zoom.” If you zoom in up to 3x, it’s all optical and you won’t notice any loss in image clarity. Dial that up to 5x, though, and we’re in hybrid-zoom territory, where the camera combines data from the 40MP main and 8MP telephoto cameras. (Quick aside: You can’t shoot 5x zoom photos at the full 40MP resolution because the sensor crops the edge of the image.) That 5x experience isn’t lossless, but it’s close. I’d advise you to stick with the 3x optical zoom when you can, but either way, hybrid zoom actually makes respectable long-range shooting with a smartphone possible.

To close the chapter on the P20 Pro’s cameras, let’s turn to the 24-megapixel front-facing sensor. Again, total overkill — who needs to see their own face with that much clarity? The standard beauty mode is back to help digitally smooth out skin and make eyes larger, but again, the Portrait mode’s results are hit or miss here. When it comes to selfie portraits, Google’s Pixel 2 still sets the standard. At least the Face Unlock works well. Huawei’s approach differs from Apple in that the process is completely 2D — the phone captures data points from an image of your face and checks against that when you log in. It works very quickly, but makes sacrifices on the security front.

Performance and battery

For all of the weird, ambitious things Huawei has tried to accomplish with the P20 Pro, the stuff inside the phone is actually quite conventional. The P20 Pro packs the same Kirin 970 chipset (complete with neural processing unit) as last year’s Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro, along with the same 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Sorry, no microSD card slots here. That’s a pretty potent package, but last year’s chipset just isn’t as quick as the Snapdragon 845. The P20 Pro still has enough power to handle most tasks without breaking a sweat, and it has taken to my daily frenzied multitasking with few issues. Just don’t expect flawless performance when you break out the heavy-duty games like PUBG, which was occasionally choppy, but not to the point of frustration.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

On the software front, the P20 Pro runs Android 8.1 Oreo with the latest, lightest version of the company’s EMUI interface. That slightly scaled back approach to software probably helps keep the phone moving at a respectable clip. I’ll be honest, I hated EMUI and basically everything it stood for. To my surprise though, it’s slowly but surely becoming a pleasure to use. As with a lot of other interfaces on Chinese smartphones, the whole thing feels a little overwrought, with gobs of features and add-on apps that remind you we’re a long way from stock-Android country. Even so, there’s a sense that Huawei is trying to be more thoughtful with the software it sticks on its phones. More problematic are some of the app issues I’ve encountered: Google Maps is sometimes jerky and unresponsive, and I’ve heard of other units having trouble displaying Instagram stories.

One thing I haven’t really gotten a feel for is the Kirin 970’s neural processing unit, or NPU. It does a lot of the computational heavy lifting for the camera’s Master AI, but Huawei has said in the past that the NPU could also help optimize a device’s performance. That sounds great in theory; unfortunately, I haven’t had the phone long enough to see for myself. I did, however, get a pretty good feel for the P20 Pro’s 4,000mAh battery. On average, one charge was enough to see the phone through between 2 and 2.5 days of pretty consistent use. You’ll notice a hit in battery life if you use the camera a lot — that’s probably a result of the NPU kicking into high gear, at which point the whole phone gets warm.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Wrap-up

In building the P20 Pro, Huawei wasn’t just being ambitious — it was being audacious. The result is a flagship phone that’s good enough to compete with the iPhones and Galaxys of the world. Don’t get me wrong: It has its share of shortcomings, and the approach to software and emphasis on the camera ensure it won’t make sense for everyone. That said, Huawei gets enough right here that I can’t help but be disappointed that it will probably never go on sale in the US. For the rest of the world looking for a new flagship smartphone, the Huawei P20 Pro definitely deserves your attention.

‘Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time’ is the perfect Nintendo mashup

Super Mario 64 is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time. Its large, imaginative levels and increasingly difficult challenges have defined the 3D platformer genre since its release on the Nintendo 64. Similarly, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — the first in the franchise with 3D graphics — is considered a classic with a record 99 rating on Metacritic. Both have been celebrated with portable re-releases and a deluge of fan movies, artwork and soundtrack remixes. But never have the two games been combined in a fan-made ROM hack like Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time.

The unofficial and legally dubious project allows players to traverse Hyrule, the mystical kingdom found in the Zelda series, as Nintendo’s portly plumber. The world is a little different to the one found in Link’s adventure, however. Hyrule Castle, for instance, is owned by Peach and patrolled by pink Bob-ombs. The Forest Temple, located in the Lost Woods, is filled with colorful Boos instead of flaming skulls. Epona, Link’s reliable steed, has been replaced with wooden carriages dragged by overzealous Chain Chomps.

The game is a meticulous recreation of Hyrule inside the Super Mario 64 engine. Kaze Emanuar, a prolific modder, rebuilt every house, dungeon and fairy fountain so it would be recognizable to longtime Zelda fans. Each map was adjusted, however, to accommodate Mario’s acrobatic move-set — unlike Link, the mustachioed hero can wall jump, triple-jump and backflip — and the placement of 170 stars. Some rooms are inaccessible or streamlined so that players can quickly reach the next boss or power-up.

It’s a bizarre, but perfectly playable mashup that Emanuar has been building toward for five years. He grew up in the German city of Bremen and discovered emulators — applications that mimic older video game hardware — as a 17-year-old in high school. Most people use emulation to quickly (and often illegally) play titles from their childhood. Emanuar’s first exposure, however, was through a Super Mario 64 ROM hack called Star Road. He tried to play it with a mouse and keyboard at first but quickly discovered that a controller was almost mandatory. “Playing Mario 64 mods with keyboards,” he explained, is “something you should never do to yourself. If you love yourself, and like anyone, you should definitely go and get a USB controller.”

Emanuar enjoyed the difficulty of Star Road, which went beyond the challenges found in Super Mario 64. He had been programming games on his calculator and was instantly intrigued by the N64 modding community. “When I saw that Star Road was a thing, I thought ‘Yo, this can be done. If this one guy can make this, then I can make it too.’” His first fan hack was Super Mario 64 Madness, a complete game with custom courses and 122 stars. Emanuar was “a total noob” at modding, however, and the final version was awful. “It’s so bad, I hid the trailer from my [YouTube] channel,” he explained.

“It’s so bad, I hid the trailer from my [YouTube] channel.”

Mario fans hated the mod and showered Emanuar with insulting reviews. “They called me disabled and everything,” he said. Undeterred, Emanuar released a string of mods in 2013 including the five-level adventure Mario and the Magic Wand, the musical-themed Organ of Matrias, and Super Mario Bros 3D, which lets the player choose between Mario and Luigi. With each ROM hack, Emanuar learned more about the game and the modding tools maintained by the community. These include various open-source level, text and texture editors, as well as custom software for importing 3D object and level files.

Next, Emanuar taught himself assembly (ASM) coding, which uses complex, but still human-readable code and an “assembler” program like CajeASM. The technique is vital for modders who want to differentiate from their peers and add custom features to Super Mario 64. Emanuar used ASM to create Lonely Holidays 64 in August 2013 and Peach’s Christmas Invitation that December. Though short, these hacks contained many unique enemies, levels and star challenges. The latter hack, for instance, lets you ride around on Yoshi.

Emanuar hated school. He didn’t care much about his grades and planned to study math at University. “For math, you don’t need good grades,” he said. “So I was just physically there while doing … whatever.” Emanuar would drift off in class and make notes about his next ROM hack. Occasionally he would write assembly code in his folders too. “Just practicing how it works,” he explained. “How I could use the logic and the standard better.”

The modding took its toll, however. Emanuar was working 17-hour days during the development of Peach’s Christmas Invitation. “I didn’t do anything but work on that game and sleep,” he said. “After that, I just needed a break. I couldn’t do it anymore.” The modder also felt he’d done everything he could with Mario 64. But he hadn’t — not by a long shot.

Emanuar took a six-month break and then returned with the self-explanatory Kaze’s Warmup. The mini-hack had 14 stars strewn across two custom levels, Mad Monster Mansion and Metal Harbour. Emanuar used the game to practice custom modeling, which would benefit later mods including Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time.

In late 2014, Emanuar graduated from high school and moved on to University. He also released Super Mario 64: Chaos Edition, a twist on the original game that randomly activated cheat codes during each session. Almost all of them were designed to infuriate; one minute Mario couldn’t jump, the next he would perform “super high jumps” or be unable to open doors. Music would speed up or be replaced with a rendition performed by a Mario impersonator. Other times, Mario would be squashed or suddenly attacked by Boos disguised as wing caps.

Chaos Edition was popular with YouTube streamers including PeanutButterGamer and Vinesuace. Over the next two years, Emanuar would update it five times with much-needed bug fixes and additional cheat codes. “I made a bunch more versions because people really liked the game,” he said. “I wanted to give them more.” Emanuar’s proudest achievement that year, however, was a festive mod called Halloween Mayhem. It was a colorful, polished production with eight imaginative courses including Deadly Slide and Cursed Egyptian Tomb. According to Emanuar, the quality can be attributed to his friend and collaborator Kinopio, whom he described as “a really, really talented modeler.”

That same year, Emanuar started working on a new mod called Last Impact. The goal was simple: to build a ROM hack that eclipsed Star Road in scale and complexity. With two years of modding experience, and an in-depth knowledge of assembly code, he was confident of besting Skelux’s project from 2011. “Everyone was like, ‘Oh, Star Road is the biggest, most ambitious hack with the most custom coding. And I was like, ‘I can do a lot more crazy shit than that.’” From the start, Emanuar wanted the game to have 130 stars and some “crazy custom object stuff.” It wasn’t until 2016, however, that the public would see the finished article.

Before its release, Emanuar worked on a Chaos Edition for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Like its Mario sibling, the ROM hack offered a variety of randomly activated cheat codes. It was popular, but few players made it past the early Deku Tree mini-dungeon. “It is barely functional at the best of times and an unplayable mess that requires an almost paranoid level of save-stating and frame delimiters at its worst,” one player commented.

Chaos Edition is the only time Emanuar has modded Ocarina of Time directly. It’s not because the game is harder to hack — it’s just less interesting to modders and players alike. That’s partly because The Legend of Zelda has a more complicated design. Modders can build 3D platformers with a simple, point-to-point progression. An RPG, however, requires elaborate puzzles, side quests and equipment upgrades. “It’s really easy to screw it up,” Emanuar said. “Whereas is you make a platformer like Mario, you can’t really screw up that much. Everyone can make their own Mario game, but making your own Zelda? That’s pretty difficult.”

As the months wore on, people started asking about Last Impact. Emanuar had taken a break from social media but was maintaining his YouTube channel with the occasional tutorial and announcement trailer. He soon noticed that impatient fans were leaving 10 to 50 comments on his videos every day. Emanuar was “already really stressed out” and decided to prank his followers with another unique mod. He took a hack called Toad-megeddon — which takes place in a world covered in Toad faces — and developed it further with Toad-themed snow, physics, and a pint-sized playable character. It was released on September 12th, 2016 as Super Releasio.

While unexpected, Emanuar’s fans appreciated the joke. “The CIA should use this game as torture,” one commenter wrote on YouTube. “The sound effects are making me laugh uncontrollably.” Another said: “This is the ultimate hack. We don’t need hacks ever again.”

“I was very pessimistic about it. I had no expectations.”

Behind the scenes, though, Emanuar was still working on Last Impact. He asked friends to come over and play-test early versions, taking note of game-breaking bugs and unclear signposting. If players, were getting stuck, “I would go to the area to see if I could make it any clearer without bugging people that hadn’t run into issues there,” he explained. A month before the game’s release, Emanuar also organized a beta that anyone could apply for online. More than 1,000 people emailed Emanuar asking to participate. “It was probably the most stressful time in my life,” he said, “Because I had to talk to all these people the entire day. And that was after I had been isolated from everyone for three to four months.”

Still, he persevered, and Last Impact was released September 30th, 2016. It wasn’t too popular, but Emanuar didn’t mind. “I was very pessimistic about it,” he said. “I had no expectations. So it was not like I was disappointed or anything.”

BIJ

The student continued to experiment with Super Mario 64 over the next 18 months. Some, such as Super Mario Run 64 — an auto-running mini-hack set in a 2.5D world — are throwaway jokes. “When Super Mario Run came out I was like, ‘This is silly. This shouldn’t be a proper game. This looks like it was made with two to three hours of effort,’” he said. “So then I went and spent two hours making Super Mario Run 64.” Others, like Super Trump 64, are meant to be controversial. A smattering, though, are simply impressive in their ability to mimic later Nintendo releases. Super Mario 64 Maker, for instance, is a level editor inspired by the Wii U title. “I thought, ‘Mario Maker is such a cool concept. I really have to do this in 3D,’” he said.

In late 2017, Emanuar teamed up with MelonSpeedruns and Marshivolt on a multiplayer ROM hack called Super Mario 64 Online. It allowed up to 24 people to sprint, long jump and side-flip through the original game together. Fans could pick between eight different characters: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Toad, Wario, Waluigi and Rosalina. They all had unique abilities — Yoshi could flutter-jump, for instance, while Rosalina had her Star-Spin — adding to the chaos as users raced through Princess’s Secret Slide or played tag in Jolly Roger Bay. It was far superior to the four-player ‘Vs. Mode’ found in Super Mario 64 DS.

“When ‘Super Mario Run’ came out I was like, ‘This is silly. This shouldn’t be a proper game. This looks like it was made with two to three hours of effort.’”

The ROM hack was hugely popular and soon caught the attention of Nintendo. The company, which has long fought against fan-made remakes and mods, filed multiple copyright strikes against Emanuar. These affected his Patreon account — which has since been reinstated — and several YouTube videos that included download instructions. A Nintendo spokesperson said at the time: “Nintendo’s broad library of characters, products, and brands are enjoyed by people around the world, and we appreciate the passion of our fans. But just as Nintendo respects the intellectual property rights of others, we must also protect our own characters, trademarks and other content.”

Emanuar believes the swift takedown was because Super Mario Odyssey was less than a month away. “If you release something right before Nintendo releases a game, I don’t think that’s good,” he said. “They probably take you down then so that people play their game instead.” Super Mario 64 Online lives on, however, through a modified client called Net64+. The community is small but organizes the occasional event through a Discord channel. When faced with a copyright strike, Emanuar now creates a patch that separates his work from Nintendo’s original ROM. “You can legally upload that,” he explained.

Emanuar began developing Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time last August. He was intrigued by large, open world games and wondered if it would be possible to build a similar experience inside Super Mario 64. As a longtime fan of Zelda series, he felt the N64 classic would make a good foundation. So he took the original world map and started planning how his own storyline could weave through it. Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time hews pretty close to Link’s original adventure, but there are plenty of original ideas thrown in too. At the start of the game, Peach tells Mario that Bowser is planning to invade the castle with an unstoppable army. He can only be defeated with 9 Grand Stars that are scattered across time and different locales.

“The last five were all sealed by our ancestors within dungeons that we can’t access at the moment,” Peach explains to an expressionless Mario. “However, the seals are getting weaker, and with the power of three Grand Stars you will be able to enter the Temple of Time and use the Grand Star of Time to travel into the future, where the seals will be weak enough to be broken.”

The story, while imaginative, is far removed from a classic Nintendo game. At the end of the adventure, for instance, Mario fights an older version of Bowser hunched over a grand piano. “I’m an old turtle now,” he croaks, “but that doesn’t mean you’ll have an easy time! I’d love to beat you up one last time for nostalgia, but my children are eager to fight themselves. Go get him!” This twisted version of Nintendo’s finest villain will, for some, be seen as blasphemy. But Emanuar has a simple explanation: none of his works is canon. “Each ROM hack is a separate universe,” he said.

“Each ROM hack is a separate universe.”

Development was rather straightforward. Emanuar started with Kokiri Forest — the place where Link starts in Ocarina of Time — and worked forwards through the game. Whenever the modder reached a dungeon, he would stop and start dreaming up puzzles appropriate for Mario. The student soon realized, however, that a direct recreation wouldn’t be very enjoyable. Some rooms, for instance, “were just useless” or unnecessarily confusing for the player. That’s why only a third of each dungeon is required to beat Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time. The rest is devoted to optional stars and secrets. “I feel like that’s a better fit for modern audiences,” he explained, “rather than doing the whole dungeon because people don’t have the patience anymore.”

BIJ

The mod was released on March 26th, 2018. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive; multiple streamers and press outlets have covered the game since its launch. But Emanuar isn’t done yet. Since Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time, he’s released Portal Mario 64, a game based on Valve’s beloved puzzler, and a version of Mario 64 running in 4K at 60 frames-per-second. The modder is now working on a slew of follow-up hacks inspired by PUBG and Fortnite, the romance simulator Doki Doki Literature Club, and others.

Emanuar has considered modding other games, such as the Sega Dreamcast platformer Sonic Adventure. But he’s stuck with Mario 64 because of its divisive controls and physics — which he loves — and the sheer amount of hours he’s poured into the game. Emanuar is still a student, but he’s spent 10 hours each day, for roughly five years, dissecting Nintendo’s seminal platformer. “If I was gonna do that with another game,” he said, “I would have to spend at least a year of full-time work before I was anywhere near the level I am with Super Mario 64.”

The modder makes some money through YouTube and Twitch. However, it’s “an awful wage” for the amount of work he puts into each project. In the end, Emanuar is making mods for the love of it. “I really enjoy it still,” he said. Nintendo, of course, will never approve — but for countless fans around the world, ROM hacks like Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time are a beautiful love letter to some of their favorite worlds and characters.

New Survey Says Amazon and Google Have a More ‘Positive Impact on Society’ Than Apple

In a new survey conducted by SurveyMonkey and shared by Recode, 11 percent of respondents said that they believe Apple has the most positive impact on society today. Apple came in third place, however, falling in line behind Google at 15 percent and Amazon in the top spot at 20 percent.

Survey respondents were given the option of choosing between a number of technology companies between April 8-9, and it totaled 2,772 adults based in the United States. When asked which company they believe has the most positive impact on society, 20 percent elected to choose “none of the above.”

Despite the ongoing Cambridge Analytica scandal, 10 percent of respondents chose Facebook as having the most positive impact today. Microsoft rounded out the top 5 slots at 7 percent, followed by Tesla at 6 percent, Uber at 3 percent, Netflix at 2 percent, and a list of companies at 1 percent.

The survey also dived into the CEOs of the companies and asked respondents which leaders had the greatest impact on people’s daily lives. Amazon came in first place again, with 22 percent saying CEO Jeff Bezos and his decisions impact them in some way each day. Google’s Sundar Pichai came in second at 18 percent, and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg was third at 17 percent.

Amazon has been a competitor for Apple in a few areas over the last couple of years, particularly in areas like AI assistants and smart home accessory support. Most recently, The Information reported that an increasing number of home builders have opted to go with Alexa-enabled smart homes, rather than install HomeKit products during construction.

A Bloomberg report today claims that Amazon’s next big push into consumer products will be a robot that can navigate around the user’s home “like a self-driving car.” The ultimate purpose of the robot is still unclear, but people familiar with the project believe it to be a “mobile Alexa” that would follow customers into areas of the home that don’t have an Echo device.

Tags: Amazon, Alexa
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Apple Celebrates Turkish Children’s Day With Self-Portraits Created Using iPad and Apple Pencil

Today is National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey, an annual public holiday that takes place on April 23 in the country. As it has in years past, Apple is celebrating the holiday by sharing art that children have created using its products.

Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted a self-portrait created by 13-year-old Özgün Asya, who made the image on an iPad with Apple Pencil.

It’s Children’s Day in Turkey! 🇹🇷 Thanks to 13-year-old Özgün Asya from Istanbul for this colorful self-portrait, created on iPad using Apple Pencil. pic.twitter.com/N5EzH11F1x

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 23, 2018

Over the past week, Apple’s Turkish YouTube channel has been sharing a few videos also highlighting Children’s Day, in a series called “My Portrait.” The first video posted focused on Asya’s self-portrait, and in it she explains that she drew herself with her favorite flower, the cherry blossom.

Following the first video, Apple published six more short, 15-second clips where kids from Turkey explained the art that they created using iPad. Ali G. explained that he drew seven-and-a-half versions of himself due to his own age, Ece S. described her nature-focused portrait, and Defne A. showed off an image of her and her dog.

In the most recent video, shared over the weekend, Apple combined all of the self portrait videos into one 30-second ad.

The power of the iPad, the ease of use of Apple Pencil, and the unlimited creativity of children came together, and these extraordinary self-portraits came out.

Apple’s Children’s Day videos showcase the latest 9.7-inch iPad, which was announced at an education-focused event in late March. The sixth-generation device includes Apple Pencil support with sensors that measure pressure and tilt so that users can take notes or illustrate in supported apps. The tablet has a reduced education price and multiple accessories that are particularly aimed at kids in school.

Tags: Tim Cook, Turkey
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Report reveals the extent of China’s tech sexism problem

Chinese tech companies like Baidu and Alibaba have been using blatant sexism to attract job candidates and advertising jobs for “men only,” Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported. “Major companies like Alibaba have published recruitment ads promising applicants ‘beautiful girls’ as co-workers,” said HRW China Director Sophie Richardson. Furthermore, Chinese authorities have not been enforcing laws that prohibit workplace gender discrimination, it adds.

In a 99-page report, HRW analyzed 36,000 ads posted on Chinese job sites over the last five years. Many of the ads state a preference for men, and others require women to have a certain height, weight, looks or other qualities that have nothing to do with the position’s duties.

For instance, Alibaba published ads enticing men by saying that “beautiful girls” and “goddesses” worked for the company. It also posted photos of female employees, describing them not for their qualifications or achievements, but as “late night benefits,” Bloomberg noted. Tencent, on its official WeChat recruitment account, quoted a male worker as saying “the reason I joined [the company] originated from a primal impulse. It was mainly because the ladies at human resources and that interviewed me were very pretty.”

In a statement, Tencent told Bloomberg that “we are sorry [the ads] occurred and we will take swift action to ensure they do not happen again. Tencent values diverse backgrounds and recruits staff based on talent and ability. ” Baidu, which also posted misogynistic listings, said it deeply regretted the postings that occurred in “isolated instances” and has since removed them.

Gender discrimination in advertising is prohibited by China’s labor and advertising laws. However, the government has not only not enforced the problem, but 13 percent of civil service job listings in 2017 specified “men only” or “men preferred,” while none required or preferred women.

One reason why is that “traditional and deeply discriminatory views” are often held in corporations, said HRW, referring to those questioning women’s capabilities or not willing to accommodate maternity leave. Another problem is that activists who have fought sexual objectification have been met with hostility by the Chinese government. When the #MeToo movement erupted on social media, for instance, it was censored, as authorities take a dim view toward activism of any kind.

“Instead of harassing and jailing women’s rights activists, the Chinese government should engage them as allies in combating gender discrimination in the job market -– and beyond,” Richardson said.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Human Rights Watch

ASUS made a sub-$200 smartphone to fight Xiaomi in India

Having surpassed the US to become the second largest smartphone market after China, India is now the latest battleground for some of the top mobile brands. According to Canalys, even Samsung lost its top position there to Xiaomi as of Q4 2017, followed by Vivo, Oppo and Lenovo. Meanwhile, ASUS is continuing its fight over there by announcing the ZenFone Max Pro (M1), an India-centric mid-ranger that’s priced competitively — even more so than Xiaomi’s recently launched Redmi Note 5 Pro. This also happens to be ASUS’ first stock Android device, which is partly why it’s able to be shipped with Android 8.1.

According to ASUS, pretty much everything about the ZenFone Max Pro was based on a survey — conducted by market research firm Ipsos — of over 2,000 Indian consumers. The result was a product that’s somewhat similar to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but with slight advantage over certain specs. And ultimately, this ZenFone starts at 10,999 rupee (about $170; 3GB RAM plus 32GB storage), thus undercutting the Redmi’s 13,999 rupee base price (about $210; 4GB + 64GB). The ZenFone also offers a 4GB RAM plus 64GB storage configuration, but at 12,999 rupee (about $200) it’s still slightly cheaper. It’s clear that ASUS is really trying to put up a good fight here.

Both devices feature a 6-inch 2,160 x 1,080 IPS LCD, a nice mid-range Snapdragon 636 processor plus a rear fingerprint reader (face unlock is available, too), but the ZenFone Max Pro’s display has a higher 450-nit brightness plus a higher 1500:1 contrast ratio. Other goodies include a larger 5,000 mAh battery, a dedicated microSD card slot alongside dual SIM slots, a supposedly louder speaker and a newer version of Android (the Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with Android 7.1 customized by Xiaomi’s MIUI 9). All of this while managing the same 180 gram weight, but with a gentle bump to 8.46mm on its thickness.

Photography-wise, the ZenFone Max Pro has a 13MP + 5MP pairing for the bokeh-enabled main camera, and on the other side there’s an 8MP front camera plus an LED flash for easier selfies. While the main camera has a slightly higher resolution than its Redmi counterpart, its selfie camera is much weaker than the Redmi’s 20MP offering. Obviously, it’s not always about quantity, so we shall see when the comparison tests come out.

The good news for some of us outside of India is that the ZenFone Max Pro will likely make it to other markets, albeit with slightly different specs. For now, this phone will be launched in Indonesia via Lazada on April 25th, followed by India’s Flipkart on May 3rd. This may not immediately put a dent on Xiaomi’s marketshare in these regions, but we won’t be surprised if it decides to throw a big flash sale around the same time just to bite back.

Bloomberg: Amazon wants to build a home robot

Bloomberg is claiming that Amazon is looking to build a home robot that would do for personal androids what the Kindle did to reading. The website’s sources-in-the-know claim that the giant’s hardware division, Lab126, is working on some sort of domestic droid, codenamed “Vesta.” Apparently, project Vesta has been in development for some time, but this year the company began aggressively hiring roboticists. It’s thought that the first tests of Vesta, in select employees’ homes, will come at the end of this year.

The report is little more than shadows and dust at this point, and there’s little solid information to go on within. It’s thought that Vesta could become a sort of roaming Echo, following you around the house waiting for you to bark orders at it. The device would likely take advantage in advances in autonomous movement that have helped push self-driving car tests.

There’s no guarantee that Amazon will ever release such a product, and may just be investigating the concept right now. Home robots are, after all, a notoriously tricky proposition, from the privacy and security implications through to the often high cost. A device like Pepper, which isn’t designed to be a consumer product, costs thousands of dollars and isn’t that useful.

Meanwhile, plenty of smaller, cheaper home robots, from Omate’s Alexa-powered Yumi, Kuri and ASUS’ Zenbo, have all been announced with some fanfare. Sony has brought back its Aibo after a long hiatus, priced at 179,000 yen (around $1,739), and that can do pretty much nothing. Not to mention that the only robot that most people are happy to have around the house is one that’ll do the vacuuming.

Source: Bloomberg